Nothing You Can Do (Book One)

The Ladyblog

Edited

Around the time Ladybug got into the elevator, Adrien was trying to figure out what to do with his free day. His first day of complete freedom and he wasted it in his room, restraining himself from watching the news channel theorized Ladybug's identity. "Y'know kid, you could go spend the day 'protecting' Paris," Plagg suggests, eating cheese to the left of Adrien's monitor. Maybe he would see his Lady! The boy thought as he pondered the idea.

"Plagg, claws out!" The latex dressed the boy tightly, a bell topping it all off. He made his way to his window, freedom was calling... now he just had to find out if his Lady was out.

"Kagami, hi!" Marinette squeaks, waving at Kagami. They were friends now, why was it awkward?

"Hello, Marinette. I am assuming you saw the news report." Kagami states blankly, taking her spot next to the girl.

"I did. So," Marinette brings up some fake excitement, "are you Ladybug?!" She turns to Kagami, grasping her hands like a little girl would do asking a mother for ice cream.

"No. That would be absurd. I just moved here from Japan." Kagami says, releasing herself from Marinette's grasp. Marinette finds herself more embarrassed and awkward than before.

"So... what are you doing here?" The loose-haired girl asks.

"I was going to interview Ladybug for Alya, and it would probably clear up this shenanigan." She replies.

Marinette was astonished. Stuck in reflection, she was brought back to Tuesday, towards the end of class.

"Hey, Mari," Alya whispers in the girl's ear, the announcements were still on.

"Yeah?" Marinette whispers back.

"Would you mind working on the Ladyblog this week? I have to watch my sisters and won't have a lot of time." Marinette thought about it. Alya would be disappointed if she couldn't but Marinette also couldn't risk revealing anything.

"Erm- I can't.." Marinette mumbles looking down at her palms.

"You can't?!" The announcements end, Alya wouldn't get in trouble for raising her voice. Marinette skirts over a bit from Alya, startled by the reaction.

"I'm bus-" Marinette begins.

"Don't do this, 'I'm busy' crap with me Marinette. What are you busy with? Sleeping? This is the only thing I have ever asked of you. Lila was right. You only care about yourself." Marinette sucked in a breath. Lila's plan was working.

"Alya..." People had begun to stare, Adrien had begun to stare.

"No- nope. You're something else Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Go do whatever was so important that you cannot do this for me, you're a bitch... I don't want to see you again. I don't want to hear from you again." The words stung, Marinette was about to cry. What was making Alya this angry?

"As you wish.." Marinette says, hoping she just needs time to cool off.

"You and Adrien aren't meant for each other either!" Alya continues, making sure Adrien could hear her. "You can't even get a sentence out around him, what makes you think he wants you?!" Alya slaps her, leaving a red mark on the bluenette's cheek. That was it. Marinette ran out, tears obvious on her cheeks.

"Marinette." Kagami brings Alya back to now, where the cold air gusts through the open doors.

"Sorry. I was just- you know never mind, this is my stop Kagami." Marinette left Kagami on the elevator. Kagami, deciding the Ladyblog wasn't worth as much as Marinette being alone was.

"Goodbye Marinette," Kagami says as the doors close the space between them. Marinette walks to the edge, deciding to stay as Marinette for a moment. Leaning over the railing she began to bring herself back to Tuesday.

Marinette was in the bathroom, crying. "Marinette, if you don't stop you are going to get akumatized." Tikki pleaded as Marinette buried her head in her palms.

"I just- I just- if I wasn't Lady-Lady-b-b-ug this wouldn't have h-happened." She was out of breath.

"Marinette?" A male voice called out into the bathroom. The footsteps made their way to the bathroom door. Marinette recognized the orange shoes. Marinette breathed heavily, trying to hide her sobs. "Marinette, please come out of the stall," Adrien said, she didn't know this but he was ready to transform into Chat Noir to cataclysm any akuma. "I am sure Alya did not mean what she said, Lila just lied her way through." The boy reassures her. Marinette stands, hesitating before opening the door. She collapses into him, his hands smoothing her hair. "It'll be alright." The boy just wanted to ignore what Alya said in the classroom. He was dating Kagami... yet part of him longed for more of this.

"Thank you, Adrien." Marinette manages, comfortable in his grasp.

Marinette removes herself from the memory as a black figure appears, launching a baton from the floor, keeping him elevated. "Tikki, spots on!"